30. LAND OF GODS AND MONSTERS

"Things we loose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect..."

-Luna Lovegood

IN A WHIRL OF FLASHING BLUE AND YELLOW LIGHTS, THE GREAT LORD OF HOUSE DARCIA HELD HIS BREATH AS THE WORLD AROUND HIM DRASTICALLY TRANSFORMED.

The chrome and steel walls inside of Jaguara's airship diminished, replaced by a perfect cloudless sky. Emerald grass stretched beneath the lord's boots, over rolling hills and into a beautiful horizon where a white castle loomed in the distance. A gust of wind mixed with petals swirled from the west, tossing Darcia's jet black hair across his astounded features. Sweet scented white flowers filled the air.

"Is this.. is this Paradise?" He spoke aloud, uncertain.

Other Nobles picked themselves up from the ground, grotesque masks fell away to reveal incredulous, wonder-filled faces as they took in everything.

The warm sun shone on Darcia's back, almost uncomfortably. He lifted his arm to shield the brilliant sun from his eyes, and paused. Remarkably, the ghastly wound on his arm disappeared, his flesh as flawless as if his vile ordeals with the she-wolf had never occurred. The flower maiden... Darcia remembered, and turned to discover an empty spot where the she-wolf once stood. In fact, the other white wolf was gone too. They could not be found. The lord didn't have a chance to contemplate a plan when a musical voice drew his attention.

"My beloved..."

The dark lord could not contain the surprised look on his face.

Across the vast field stood a beautiful woman, buttermilk locks swaying behind her. She lifted her dainty hand, inviting Darcia over to her side. He walked towards the woman in disbelief. "Harmona..." He breathed, as if speaking the name too loud would shatter the moment.

She gave him a knowing smile, violet eyes sparkling. "It's been so long." She sang.

The distance between them closed as Darcia embraced her body lovingly, like holding the most precious thing in the world. "Yes, it has been." He agreed with a sigh of content.

The pair, entwined in each other's arms, illuminated like young beautiful, unearthly gods.

Together at last.

Darcia settled his head over hers, burying his face within her buttermilk locks.

Are you content to live a lie?

For the first time, Darcia stirred from his trance until it finally dawned on him the absurdity of it all. His perfect vision was about to collapse. Startled, he quickly pushed away as if the beautiful lady electrocuted him. He doubled back without removing his eyes off his long lost love.

"What's the matter?" She asked, perplexed.

Something felt wrong. He looked to the others, wondering if they felt it too. Instead the humans walked blissfully in the meadows, laughing in their new Paradise.

Dismissing the young lord's strange behavior, the beauty extended her hand outward. "Come to me, my beloved."

But Darcia was not having any of it. "You are not Harmona." He proclaimed. "She died years ago."

The beautiful lady smiled in wicked delight before bursting into a string of uncontrollable laughter.

"What kind of magic is this?" Demanded the lord, growing angrier by the second.

Placing a palm over her mouth, she stifled her giggles before responding, "Why, Lord Darcia, I didn't suspect you to be so observant. Harmona was my twin sister. She was always the favorite." Glamour shimmered around Jaguara's frame. The background behind her flickered to something out of nightmares. Darcia blinked and the desolate image dissolved, returning to the breathtaking scenery once again. Jaguara lifted both hands into the air, "Of course, none of that matters anymore. Now that we are in Paradise."

"This place is no Paradise."

"It can be." She replied, "Just imagine, you and I, ruling side by side as Gods!"

Darcia narrowed his crimson eyes. "You're crazy. I want none of this."

"Hm, how interesting." She hummed to herself, "You prefer reality over this? If you want the truth so badly, then I'll let you have it." She raised her left hand, and snapped her manicured fingers.

And just like that, the glamour and mist lifted from Darcia eyes... revealing the truth.

He was violently ripped from the peaceful and stunning landscapes of white flowers. The swooping dizzying sensation followed him when he opened his eyes wide to find himself pinned between the floor and metal debris. He was still inside Jaguara's airship, except everything was in disarray. Gritting his teeth, Darcia heaved the heavy scrap metal that bond his lower half. With a loud grunt, he pushed away the slab of metal. Pain ignited from his legs as he slowly stood up. The Noble paused when something caught his attention.

Through a large crater in the southern wall, pass jagged edges sharp enough to slice skin and hanging active cables, he realized Lady Jaguara's ship fell from the sky and crashed in the center of Garmonia City.

Something must have happened.

The wolves...

Immediately, Darcia turned to the broken alter.

Raging winds whipped long jet black hair around his face, as anger slowly transformed his features.

The white wolves were gone.

"No..." He whispered in disbelief, stumbling towards the empty alter.

This time it was real. Not some made up reality. The wolves had escaped... again.

"NO!" He slammed both fists upon the marbled alter. An explosion set off somewhere in the ship and shook the entire place. Darcia steadied himself, that was when he saw the rest of the nobles laying among the rubble. They were all still under Jaguara's spell. In fact, they appeared oblivious to the disaster, sharing oversized smiles plastered on their foolish faces.

He narrowed his eyes. "Damn that wrench for ruining my plans!" Pieces of long black hair fell across his vision, a destructive angel. Among the wreckage was a set of bloody wolf prints on the floor that led into the darkness.

A chorus of moans reached Darcia's ears. One by one ghouls poured into the room and started feeding on the nobles who were all consumed by glamour to register that they were being eaten alive.

Darcia looked back at Lady Jaguara and the others with disdain. "Let them rot..." was all he said before following after the bloody trail.

Lady Jaguara, crown of golden thorns still perched upon her head, giggled madly in her kingdom of lies. "Paradise is mine..." she muttered in delight as five ghouls crouched over her form.

Disoriented from the collision, I summoned every last ounce of strength left in my battered legs to put enough distance between me and the Nobles. Abruptly I staggered down an alleyway littered with remnants of Lady Jaguara's broken vessel. I maneuvered around the wreckage—scrap metal, sparks popping, tangled cables—all the while keeping myself from loosing consciousness. Dark spots blossomed at the corners of my vision, and through the long tunnels my eyes have become, I battled onward in desperate determination.

"Almost there," I said in a breathless voice, words meant for my ears alone to help motivate me to keep going.

Light from the giant red moon navigated us in the narrow alley, though I mostly kept to the path, turning left, then right, then straight. Despite our bodies covered in blood, inflicted by fatal injures, we pushed beyond the pain. Running on pure adrenaline. The white wolf placed one arm behind my neck for support as he hobbled alongside me. I held him steady, careful not to touch the stake still wedged in his torso. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time to properly tend to his wound, because danger lurked in the shadows.

Hot flames bit at my wrists where the iron chains made the skin raw and irritated. But that was nothing compared to the burning discomfort lingering inside my chest that Jaguara's ritual brought forth. I suppressed a whimper by inhaling sharply, perspiration dampened my forehead.

"Amber..." Kiba croaked, and squeezed my shoulder. I turned to look at him at once. "Are you alright?"

Silent tears trickled unchecked down my grimy, dusty cheeks. "You're practically bleeding to death and you're worried about me?"

A weak half smile graced his handsome face. "Old habit," he croaked.

From the far corner, figures stepped out of the shadows.

Ghouls.

I immediately came to a stop, so did Kiba. We watched in horror as more kept emerging into the light as if conjured from nightmares by my growing fear. I slowly started moving away, and Kiba followed carefully. Quick movements attracted the creatures. The ghouls were a dozen feet in front of us. The closest one lifted its grotesque head in our direction.

Run!

The word exploded inside my mind. I squeezed Kiba tighter against my body hoping he understand my intentions. Thankfully he did, because when I wheeled around, we both took off down a different path through darkness and horror, with death pursuing and no certain knowledge of a way out. As I ran, I could feel the white wolf's flittering heart beating against my chest.

The air filled with the ghouls moans.

Rounding a corner, we slowed from a run to a walk and then simply stood there.

Ten feet away stood a solid wall of brick and steel in our way.

The entire building had collapsed beneath the weight of a massive chunk of metal that fell off the Nobel's ship. There was no way through it, and the sides were far too steep to climb. Kiba and I were trapped. We had nothing, only our claws and fangs to stop the mass of creatures following us.

Kiba released me so he could stand on his own. Confusion rearranged my features as I watched him lower himself to the ground, kneeling on one leg. "Quick. Get on my shoulders." He ordered. "I can lift you high enough to grab one of the wires sticking out and climb up."

My eyes narrowed. "But doing it would use up the last seconds you have left, giving you no chance for survival." I argued, stepping away from him and the idea.

"Better to die trying saving a life than share a hideous death."

Anger boiled inside me. At this point, I was annoyed that he constantly puts my wellbeing before his own as if I'd happily oblige with the request and watch him be shredded to pieces. "When will you get it, Kiba?" I growled, "I'm not going anywhere without you."

He stared at me with an absurd look on his face. The white wolf stood at once. "When will you get it!" He emphasized, "I have searched for you my entire life. Now that I finally have you in front of me, I won't let anything happen to you."

"You think this is easy for me? That I can just leave you to die?"

"You have to... for Paradise."

"Screw Paradise!" I cried out in frustration, throwing my arms in the air. "If it means loosing you forever, then I don't care about Paradise anymore..."

Our heated argument was cut short. The first of the ghouls rounded the previous corner. It started running along the alley. The creature raced toward us almost as fast as a healthy human could run. Its teeth were bared and its hands were outstretched to grab.

Thirty feet, twenty.

Ten.

And then a voice cried, "AMBER!"

Everyone turned and looked. Me, Kiba, the ghouls; even the fast ghoul slowed to a confused walk as it cast around for the source of the shout.

Suddenly something black and lithe dropped into the alley. Followed by something bigger, rounder, with masses of curly light brown hair. There was a fierce war cry and a flash of claws, and then the head of the fast ghoul popped into the air and bounced off the wall.

"Blue! Hige" I squeaked in surprised delight.

The ebony wolf and husky had found us.

A moment later another form dropped from the edge of a building. It landed next to a confused ghoul, shattering its skull with deadly competence. A long jagged scar ran across his chest. He looked at the lifeless ghoul and then at me. He smirked.

"I can't leave you alone for a minute without you doing something stupid, can I?" asked Tsume.

"Took you long enough," I tried to make it sound cool and casual. It didn't.

Tsume snorted and started to say something else, but then caught sight of Kiba's damaged form.

"Jesus Christ! What — what happened to him?!" His words disintegrated into a baffled stammer.

"Long story, tell you all about it later," replied the white wolf, fingers barely grazing the stake wedged in his abdominals.

"Do you have a plan outta here?" I asked.

"Do we have a plan..." Hige repeated, smug. He cupped a hand over his mouth and yelled upward. "Toboe!"

Instead of an answer, a coil of rope fell from above and landed heavily on the husky wolf's head, nearly knocking him to his knees.

"Heads up!" came the yell a half second later. Hige pulled the rope off his head and looked up. The pup's head and shoulders leaned over the edge of the building, his long fiery hair hanging straight down. "Hey, Amber," he greeted with a friendly wave.

"Runt!" Tsume barked. "Shut up and tie that rope to something sturdy!"

The smile vanished from the pup's face. "I already did. But hurry up. There's more of those things coming your way!"

A few yards away, Blue looked over her shoulder to see what was going on, and her eyes bulged.

Another ghoul dashed around the corner—a huge woman with wild hair slowly thinning and a line of bullet holes stitched across her enormous bosom.

"Time to go."

Abruptly, the grey wolf turned to me. "I'll carry Kiba. They'll guard our back while we climb up."

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks."

He smirked. "Better hurry."

As the grey wolf hoisted a reluctant Kiba upon his broad shoulders like a sack of potatoes, I snatched up the rope and began to climb. I could see that the collapsed end of the building was not sheer. Much of the debris had tumbled down to form a slope, but that slope was far too steep to walk up. With the rope, though, I might be able to do it.

Behind me I could hear a dull thud that I recognized as the impact of claws on dried flesh and bone. Sharp and hard, accompanied by a soft grunt of effort. Blue had joined the fight. It was not a comforting sound. It did not mean that they were winning. It meant that there were too much for Hige and Blue to handle alone. It meant that the monsters were coming. More and more of them.

At first it was easy. Tough, but not beyond my strength. Living wild had built my endurance and stamina. I was physically strong enough to do whatever I needed to survive. However, those thoughts brought me about halfway up the wall. Then, within the next three labored steps, my one-hundred and ten pound body suddenly felt like a ton. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the inflictions from Jagaura's ritual began to take its toll.

My foot slipped on the steel-slick wall, and I hung for dear life. I held on to the rope, gritting my teeth against the strain and the pain.

"Keep going!" yelled Tsume, trailing alongside the wall a few feet below me.

Quickly I took another step and winced as my withered muscles ached and screamed. My thighs burned, and grasping the rope felt like holding hot coals. Looking up, I saw the pup stretch a bony arm down to me. Toboe had a lot of wiry strength, but at the moment his offered arm looked like it belonged to a stick figure.

And it was still too far away.

With a grunt I took a step upward, slamming my feet into the walls to find solid ground. I pierced through drywall, avoiding the metal skeleton of the building. Using legs and back and arms, I pulled upward. I took a deep breath as I hauled again, taking another step. And another. It felt as though I scaled the wall like a slow caterpillar, my destination appearing impossibly high.

And then I rose from the shadows into bright sunlight.

I blinked, my eyes stung, but I'd never been happier to see a bright, sunny sky than at that moment. I pulled, and pulled, and climbed and climbed until I collapsed onto the top. Toboe helped me crawl out and over the edge, landing chest first with a gasp like a drowning animal taking its first gulp of air.

Coming up close behind me was Tsume. He stepped onto the top with Kiba still hanging over his shoulders. The white wolf slid off to stand on his own.

"Tsume!"

The cry came echoing up from the darkness, and instantly the grey wolf staggered to his feet. His limbs trembled and his hands were puffed and red, but he still pulled up the rope.

"Climb out. I'll pull. Hurry!" Demanded Tsume.

As soon as he felt them take up the slack, he began pulling hand over hand. I grabbed the rope and worked with Tsume to help our friends get out of the dangerous alley. The rope burned in my palms, but I planted my feet wide and put everything I had into it. Blue's black hair appeared at the edge of the building, and then her pretty face, tight with effort and fear. She climbed out and wiped sweat from her brow. Hige came puffing and wheezing up into the sunlight. I was beyond exhausted, it felt like hauling a bull out of a pit.

Facing the horizon, I watched as the dreary cloudy sky brightened in the rising sun. A bright ocean of orange and white smearing across the skyline like the hands of God. I didn't think I had ever seen anything so beautiful in my life. Yet, the moment was cut short. I returned my attention to the moans and snarls emitting below. Across the black gash of the gorge a hundred ghouls stared up at us with eternal hunger and endless patience. Men and women. Maybe. They had no visible sex organs. I couldn't tell their ages, because they didn't seem to possess any characteristics humans use to tell each other apart, to stand out as unique individuals. These creatures looked alike: black pruned skin that was almost entirely hairless, yellow teeth stained black and brown, grotesque and jagged, and their eyes…

Their eyes gave them away. Even in the darkness, I could see they had dark, solid black eyes. The ghouls looked frail and dangerously on the verge of collapsing underneath their own sickness. One of them, probably a child from its small stature, broke from the group and leaped onto the collapsed building. It scaled the wall as fast and nimble as an acrobat. Soon more ghouls followed in a hungry frenzy, swarming up the side of the wall.

"Back, back!" Ordered Blue, stepping away from the broken ledge.

Just before I turned to run, something fascinating stopped me. Once the small creature reached the sunlight, it yowled in surprised pain and lost its footing, tumbling back down to the ground. Steam sizzled from its shriveled tar skin. The rest of the ghouls stopped climbing. They sounded agitated, even angry at this discovery. If you blinked you would have missed the hoard of monsters disappear back into the shadows, and out of sight.

"Are you guys seeing this?" Blue asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah," replied Hige with his jaw hanging. "But I don't believe it."

It wasn't what I saw that made my mind spin, grabbing for answers that weren't there. It was what I couldn't see. Where did the ghouls go? I couldn't find a single one anywhere on the street or in the buildings surrounding us.

The pup scratched his head. "I wonder what scared them off."

"The sun." Proclaimed Tsume, after a moment of thought. The four of us turned to look at him. He continued, "They don't like the daylight. You saw how that creature's body lit up."

"So are they vampires, or the walking dead? They can't be both." Hige appeared skeptical about the whole thing.

Annoyed, Tsume made a face. "Does it matter?"

"Well, yeah," argued the husky, "we need to know what we're dealing with. I don't suppose they'll let us just walk out of here. Call this whole thing a big misunderstanding?"

"I dunno." I replied. "Go ask them."

"Pass."

"Chicken shit." Snorted Tsume.

"Hm..." Holding his punctured side, Kiba kept silent as he casted his brooding gaze out toward the dead city. I looked too. Beyond the fatal reach of sunlight, the shadows tittered. They had to still be out there. Waiting. I half expected them to start charging up the wall at any moment, but they didn't. They were content to wait, bide their time. "Whatever they are, I'm not waiting around to find out. It will be dark again." Muttered the white wolf. "Sooner or later, the sun always sets. We need to go now while it's still daylight."

The grey wolf sauntered over to the other side of the building, and leaned to look down at the sidewalk below. He measured the distance in his head.

Hige knew exactly what Tsume was thinking. Immediately he shook his head. "No way..."

Tsume let out a sigh. "You'll be fine." He didn't bother looking back at the nervous husky wolf.

Hige groaned, unconvinced. "Yeah sure. You gonna come after me when those vampire-slash-zombie freaks start devouring me like a happymeal?"

The white wolf grimaced. Next thing I know, Kiba collapsed to his knees.

"Kiba!" I hurried to his side.

With eyes squeezed shut, and teeth clenched, the white wolf steadied himself with one hand on the ground, while the other held his wound. Fresh blood pulsed beneath his hand. Face paled like a ghost, Kiba looked pretty bad.

How much longer can we go on like this? We're so close, yet so far...

I turned to face the others, who all shared the same horrified expressions.

"Will Kiba be alright?" Blue's question was directed towards me, her azure eyes locking mercilessly upon my golden owns.

I shrugged my shoulders, uncertain. "I dunno.. I guess, if we can stop the bleeding."

Hige glanced optimistically towards me, "Maybe you could help! After all, you did heal us once before! C'mon Amber!" The husky wolf tugged on one of my hands insistently. I winched as a band of bright red blood encircled my wrists where the chains once held me. Concern washed over Hige's face.

I lifted my head slowly, "I'm afraid I do not have the energy to heal anyone right now. But, I can try to take his pain away."

Appalled, vexation clouds Kiba's features. "Don't do that. You need to save your strength too. There's gonna be more fighting to come, and you shouldn't exhaust yourself. I'll be fine."

"Stubborn fool," Scoffed Tsume under his breath, and approached the white wolf in three long strides. He eased Kiba back to his feet without permission. "Let's go. It's only gonna get worse the longer we stay here."

I nodded my head in agreement.

Wordlessly, we all set out.

Sunlight poured across Garmonia City as we carefully descended the other side of the collapsed building. Although safe for the time being, there were still dark patches everywhere. Leaving us vulnerable, and open to another attack.

A/N: In the midst of this terrible crisis we are all going through together, in which more than ever we need to take care of each other. Hang in there. Stay calm. We'll get through this.

Wishing you and your families good health.

-Anna